Arizona motorists rescued from flooded creek in Tonto Basin

Two people were rescued in the Tonto Basin area Sunday after trying to cross a flooded creek in their car.

The Gila County Sheriff's Department got the call of a vehicle trapped in a creek just after 2 p.m.

When crews arrived, they saw a man and woman inside a Ford F-150 caught on a sand bar in the middle of the creek.

Ground crews worked for more than an hour to free the motorists while cold water poured into their car.

The Sheriff's Department ended up calling in a helicopter to pull the stranded motorists out.

"The couple in the car are from the area and should know better. These roads get flooded all the time and people have lost their lives crossing flooded roads in years past," said one emergency responder.

After several hours, crews were able to pull the couple out safely.

The man who was a passenger in the car complained of not being able to feel his legs. Crews treated him on scene and said he is expected to make a full recovery. The woman had no injuries.

Residents have been asking for a bridge to be built to prevent these types of incidents. They said some site surveys have been completed, but nothing has moved forward due to lack of funds.

The Tonto Basin is located north of Roosevelt Lake, south of Payson.